iPhone to Android: The final switching information
Ready to make the transfer from iOS to Android? Here’s all the things you have to efficiently change from an iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, or every other Android machine.
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So, you are prepared to depart your iPhone for greener pastures — particularly, the intense inexperienced hue of Google’s Android ecosystem.
It’s a significant transfer, to make sure, nevertheless it would not must be daunting. Beneath the surface-level variations, Android and iOS even have lots in frequent — and with the proper steps, you’ll be able to change from an iPhone to an Android machine with out dropping something important (together with your sanity).
Make your means via this easy-to-follow information, and you will be fortunately settled in your new high-tech house very quickly.
All-in-one iOS-to-Android switching instruments
First issues first: Google itself now provides a common iOS-to-Android switching service that works with any machine operating 2020’s Android 12 software program or larger. That’s hands-down the best option to get all the things out of your outdated iPhone onto your new Android machine in a single fell swoop and with the least quantity of problem attainable.
If you are shifting right into a Samsung-made Android cellphone, particularly, Samsung additionally provides its personal app for iPhone-to-Android migration that is out there instead.
Those two choices are usually the neatest locations to begin — however they don’t seem to be out there for each cellphone, and so they do not all the time work flawlessly or throughout the entire areas related to your wants. So subsequent, we’ll get into the step-by-step particulars of how one can get each vital class of knowledge moved over by yourself, little by little, with out giving your self a migraine.
Calendar, contacts, and pictures
We’ll begin with a easy three-for-one particular. Believe it or not, the core classes of calendar, contacts, and pictures are among the many best issues emigrate from iOS to Android.
All you have gotta do is set up the Google One app onto your iPhone, then signal into the app utilizing your major Google account. (If you do not but have a Google account, the app offers you the chance to create one.)
On your iPhone, open the Google One app and faucet the “Set up knowledge backup” possibility on the display that comes up. You can then choose the entire related areas and faucet the blue button to start the method.
JR Raphael / IDG
The Google One iOS app gives a simple option to transfer your calendar, contacts, and pictures knowledge over to Android.
Your backup could take some time and burn via a good quantity of knowledge — and it’s a must to go away the Google One app open and energetic your complete time — so you may most likely wish to reserve it for a time when your cellphone might be plugged in, related to a dependable Wi-Fi community, and never instantly wanted for anything.
All performed? Excellent: Now simply signal into your new Android cellphone with that very same Google account. You ought to be capable to discover your calendar knowledge within the Google Calendar app, your contacts knowledge within the Google Contacts app, and your entire pictures and movies within the Google Photos app. (Depending in your machine, these apps could or could not all be preinstalled by default. If you do not see any of them on your property display or in your app drawer, simply head over to the Google Play Store to put in it.)
One exception to the rule: If your contacts or calendar knowledge is related to a Microsoft Exchange account, it will not be moved over as a part of this course of. In that state of affairs, you may want so as to add your Exchange account into the Gmail app in your Android cellphone (see the following part for extra element), and your contacts and calendar data ought to then robotically present up within the applicable locations.
All proper — able to convey your entire e mail over to your shiny new smartphone? That migration will vary from “ridiculously easy” to “comparatively hassle-free,” relying on the specifics of your setup.
Choose your personal journey:
If you are at the moment utilizing Gmail: There’s nothing to do; simply ensure you signal into your Android machine with the identical Google account related together with your Gmail deal with, and all of your mail will robotically seem within the Android Gmail app and be ready for you. If you will have a couple of Gmail deal with and wish to have the ability to entry all of them on the cellphone, open the Gmail app’s settings and search for the “Add account” possibility, then comply with the steps so as to add any further Google accounts into the combination.
If you are at the moment utilizing a webmail supplier like Outlook.com, Hotmail, or Yahoo: Add the account into the Gmail app in your new cellphone, utilizing the identical steps described above however choosing the suitable account possibility on the “Add account” display.
JR Raphael / IDG
The Gmail app gives choices for connecting several types of e mail accounts to your Android machine.
If you are at the moment utilizing Apple Mail: Once once more, simply add the account into the Gmail app in your Android cellphone utilizing the “Other” possibility. If the app would not instantly settle for your credentials, you may need to do a bit of additional guide setup: After typing in your e mail deal with, choose “Personal (IMAP)” — then put within the numerous mail server settings offered on Apple’s assist website.
If you are at the moment utilizing Exchange: Same fundamental deal, however choose the choice for “Exchange and Office 365” within the “Add account” part of the Gmail app’s settings. The app will stroll you thru the remainder of the setup process. Of course, you can even decide to make use of Microsoft’s official Outlook Android app if you happen to’re accustomed to that program and desire a constant expertise.
One closing possibility to think about: If you are utilizing any of the aforementioned non-Gmail account sorts and wish to ditch your outdated deal with and transfer fully into Gmail, you’ll be able to import your entire outdated account’s e mail into Gmail by following the steps on this Google assist web page. You might also wish to instruct your outdated mail service to ahead all new messages to your Gmail deal with so you do not miss any vital missives from individuals who have not but realized about your transfer.
Messaging
Not surprisingly, Apple’s iMessage system would not play properly with non-Apple platforms. (See: the squabble over Android to iPhone texting.) But that does not imply it is inconceivable to depart; you simply must take the proper set of steps to keep away from missing-message distress.
First, go into Settings in your iPhone, faucet “Messages,” after which toggle “iMessage” to off. While you are in Settings, you may most likely wish to search for the “FaceTime” possibility and toggle it to off, too, because you presumably will not be energetic on that platform anymore.
Second, open Apple’s “Deregister iMessage” net web page and scroll all the way down to the part labeled “No longer have your iPhone?” Put in your cellphone quantity, click on the hyperlink to ship a affirmation code, after which kind the affirmation code you obtain into the web page.
Both of those steps are essential; if you happen to do not full them, Apple will seemingly intercept no less than a few of your incoming textual content messages, and you will by no means even know you missed ’em.
JR Raphael/IDG
Get your cellphone quantity out of the iMessage system or perpetually marvel if Apple is snatching your messages.
If you wish to maintain your entire current textual content messages and produce them over to your new cellphone, an app referred to as iSMS2droid can get the job performed. The course of is a bit gnarly and includes manually backing up your iPhone to a pc, then discovering particular information and transferring them onto your Android cellphone — but when you actually need to avoid wasting all of your outdated messages, it is about the best choice you will have.
The silver lining is that after you are on Android, protecting your messages synced and out there on any machine might be thought-free. Just you’ll want to decide a messaging app that robotically backs up and restores knowledge from the get-go, and you will be nice as wine.
Files
So lengthy, iCloud Drive — hey, Google Drive. The most direct option to get all of your knowledge off of Apple’s cloud storage service and onto Google’s is to put in the desktop apps for each iCloud Drive and Google Drive in your Mac or Windows PC. Then, open Finder or File Explorer home windows for each areas, choose all the things from iCloud Drive, and drag it over to Google Drive.
Wait for the switch to complete, and that is it: Every considered one of your valuable information is now out there by way of Google Drive on Android (in addition to on iOS and the online).
Apps
The unhealthy information: Any apps you have put in in your iPhone will not robotically switch over to Android, and any apps you have paid for on iOS will seemingly must be bought once more.
The excellent news: These days, most main productiveness apps are available on each platforms. And when you’re all arrange with Android, your entire apps and app knowledge will robotically sync with Google’s servers and comply with you to any future Android gadgets.
Take a couple of minutes to undergo Google’s Play Store — both in your Android cellphone or by way of an internet browser on any laptop — and seek for the apps you need. If you put in an app onto your cellphone and it asks you to register once you first open it, make sure that to make use of the identical username or e mail deal with you used in your iPhone in order that any knowledge tied to your account will carry over.
After you have settled in, you might wish to discover a bit additional past the apps you already know. Unlike iOS, Android permits you to use all kinds of intelligent instruments for customizing and controlling the core consumer interface and even fully changing your property display atmosphere with one thing extra well-suited to your particular type of working. That opens the door to some intriguing types of personalization that may improve your effectivity in fairly fascinating methods.
Music
Thank your fortunate stars, as a result of bringing music over from iOS to Android is now not absolutely the nightmare it as soon as was.
There’s nothing to it if you happen to use a streaming service like Spotify, Pandora, YouTube Music, and even — amazingly — Apple Music: Just obtain the equal app from the Google Play Store, register, and your total assortment will likely be at your fingertips in seconds.
If you will have your personal private music assortment, you’ll be able to add commonest file codecs on to the YouTube Music web site on a pc. Once you are signed in, simply click on your profile image within the upper-right nook and choose “Upload music” to get began. The service at the moment helps MP3 information in addition to information saved as FLAC, M4A, OGG, and WMA.
The essential space the place you may run into hassle is with music bought from iTunes previous to 2009, as such songs have been encoded right into a proprietary and DRM-protected AAC format. Those information, by design, will not be suitable with every other music service.
Your most suitable choice there’s to seek out the identical songs in YouTube Music and easily add them into your library as a part of your cloud-based streaming assortment. If that is not attainable, you’ll be able to all the time make use of the old-school workaround of burning any such tracks to a CD (assuming your laptop nonetheless has a CD burner, after all), then placing the CD again into the pc and ripping the songs into a regular unlocked format.
That’ll lead to lower-quality audio than you’d get buying the tunes immediately from nearly any music service these days, however — nicely, it’s what it’s.
Welcome to Android
Well, wouldya have a look at that? You’ve performed it! All your vital data is now off your iPhone and in your new Android machine, and also you’re prepared to begin anew as a card-carrying Android cellphone proprietor.
Before we bid adieu and ship you scampering off in your new journey, let’s take a second to go over a number of issues of notice as you study your means round this wild new world.
First, the getting-around fundamentals: No matter the place you might be in Android, you’ll be able to all the time swipe down as soon as from the highest of the display to see any pending notifications and swipe down a second time to see the total Quick Settings panel. And talking of notifications, Android makes them exceptionally simple to regulate — so study the ins and outs of notification administration and do not let your cellphone’s alerts management you.
JR Raphael / IDG
Android’s notifications panel (left) and Quick Settings panel (proper) are by no means greater than a swipe away. (Their precise look could fluctuate from one cellphone to the following.)
All moderately current Android variations embrace what’s certain to be a considerably familiar-seeming gesture-driven system for getting round your cellphone: From wherever within the working system, you’ll be able to flick your finger upward from the underside of the display to return to your property display or swipe upward about an inch from the underside of the display after which cease to open the system Overview interface and flick thru your lately used apps.
You may swipe inward from the left or proper facet of the display to maneuver again one step in no matter you are doing. And yow will discover a number of different little tips for taking advantage of Android gestures on this fast ‘n’ easy information.
On telephones with fairly outdated Android variations — or these the place gesture navigation is not enabled by default — you may discover three buttons alongside the underside of your display that present tap-friendly methods of accessing those self same fundamental capabilities. If you see that form of interface setup, it is nicely price your whereas to look within the machine’s settings to see if gesture navigation is out there, as you may seemingly discover it to be far more intuitive and much like what you are accustomed to utilizing.
One thing more: You’ve little doubt seen some scary-seeming tales about Android safety. Be conscious: Most of that stuff is overly sensationalized and woefully deceptive. Malware actually is not a real-world subject on Android, and Google has its personal multilayer safety system in place to guard you from all kinds of threats — together with essentially the most practical considered one of all: a misplaced cellphone.
Craving much more sensible ideas and foundational data? My, aren’t you a tenacious little monkey! Check out the next Computerworld guides to proceed your Android optimization training:
- Android apps: Best of the very best
- 12 Android settings that’ll strengthen your safety
- 42 methods Google Assistant could make you extra environment friendly
- 26 time-saving ideas for the Chrome Android browser
- 7 Gboard settings that’ll supercharge your Android typing
- 5 out-of-sight superpowers for Google Contacts on Android
- 10 tips for extra environment friendly Android messaging
- 14 methods Google Lens can prevent time on Android
- 12 useful hidden tips for Google Calendar on Android
- 6 Android settings for smarter notifications
This article was initially revealed in August 2017 and most lately up to date in October 2022.